Earlier, by Peter Brimelow: Manafort, Marlborough, And Robert E. Lee: Criminalizing Policy/ Personnel, Differences— U.S. Politics Regressing To The Primitive

The raid on Mar A Lago reminds us that the Democrats, though massively corrupt themselves, have gone rogue and are using state power to punish their political enemies.

When Paul Manafort was arrested in 2019, Peter Brimelow wrote about the parallels between the modern day and the 18th century:

In that early modern era, Britain and other civilized societies were just beginning to solve the succession problem that had plagued antiquity and the Middle Ages, when rulers who did not die of natural causes were usually ultimately murdered, often along with all their children. Not many of [the Duke of] Marlborough's generation were actually executed—although some were—but many were charged with treason or criminal corruption, including Marlborough himself before and after his ten-year campaign of brilliant military victories, and also the contemporary chief minister Robert Harley and future Prime Minister Robert Walpole, both of whom spent time imprisoned in the Tower of London. Prosecution was simply an occupational hazard of public life.

Now, again, America is moving back towards the criminalization of policy differences. (Back in 2005, Kevin Drum in Washington Monthly attributed this concept to me, citing one of my London Times columns, about Oliver North, although actually it was North himself who originated the phrase. Significantly, a commenter immediately complained that Politically Incorrect me had been mentioned in this—entirely technical—context at all. In retrospect, this was early evidence of America's emerging Totalitarian Left).

The Duke Of Marlborough's Life was written up in four volumes by his descendant, Winston Churchill.

Peter and James Kirkpatrick have been talking about it on our Book Club podcast (sign up here) for two episodes, with the third and last coming up. See VDARE Book Club In August: Books Three And Four Of MARLBOROUGH: HIS LIFE AND TIMES By Sir Winston Churchill.

One of the parallels: Marlborough associate Robert Walpole, who is often called Britain's first modern Prime Minister, was convicted on a nothingburger charge of corruption, kicked out of Parliament, and spent six months in the Tower of London.

Wikipedia explains

Despite his personal clout, however, Walpole could not stop Lord Godolphin and the Whigs from pressing for the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell, a minister who preached anti-Whig sermons. The trial was extremely unpopular with much of the country, causing the Sacheverell riots, and was followed by the downfall of the Duke of Marlborough and the Whig Party in the general election of 1710. The new ministry, under the leadership of the Tory Robert Harley, removed Walpole from his office of Secretary at War but he remained Treasurer of the Navy until 2 January 1711. Harley had first attempted to entice him and then threatened him to join the Tories, but Walpole rejected the offers, instead becoming one of the most outspoken members of the Whig Opposition. He effectively defended Lord Godolphin against Tory attacks in parliamentary debate, as well as in the press.^[16]

In 1712, Walpole was accused of venality and corruption in the matter of two forage contracts for Scotland. Although it was proven that he had retained none of the money, Walpole was pronounced "guilty of a high breach of trust and notorious corruption".^[17] He was impeached by the House of Commons and found guilty by the House of Lords; he was then imprisoned in the Tower of London for six months and expelled from Parliament. While in the Tower he was regarded as a political martyr, and visited by all the Whig leaders. After he was released, Walpole wrote and published anonymous pamphlets attacking the Harley ministry and assisted Sir Richard Steele in crafting political pamphlets. Walpole was re-elected for King's Lynn in 1713.^[17]

Of course, what they did to Walpole is what they're trying to do to Trump, including what they tried to do with two impeachments, and also trying to do to Marjorie Taylor Greene, over "insurrection." (The British voters didn't go for it—Walpole was elected again and was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.)

Bill Clinton, impeached over sex crimes and fraud—but not convicted, because Senate Democrats were okay with that—famouslly called for an end to the "politics of personal destruction"—something both he and Hillary continued to practice.

This looks like leading to a kind of South American situation where the losing candidate has to flee the country.

Republicans may be forced into popular policies like immigration restriction for mere survival.